Creeling apparatus



Sept. 15, 1964 M. AXSON ETAL CREELING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMay 24 1961 FIGA1.

m w R y N4 w Wm M m r M r m m A W M m LY (A M1 to Se t. 15, 1964'MQAXSON ETAL 3,148,842

CREELING APPARATUS Filed May 24, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 42 A F\ G. 5.INVENTORS:

Sept. 15, 1964 M. AXSON ETAL 3,148,842

CREELING APPARATUS Filed May 24, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 w o u INVENTQRQzu Qzu E Q A J zg Mama 19x5 5477/01? INA/6K7 law Lyon, 5/6/ 7 h/foam/sou A Mm! United States Patent 3,148,842 cnnsrmo APPARATUS MichaelAnson, Leek Row, Congleton, Arthur Linnert,

West Dirlsbury, Manchester, Roy Lyon, Wilrnslew, and Brian W. Robinson,Gatlcy, England, assignors to The Cotton fiilir and Man-Made FibresResemch Associa- This invention concerns creeling apparatus. It isparticularly concerned with such apparatus for use in processes where acontinuous feed of material from packages of such material is required.Such material may be in sheet form (e.g. lap material) or otherwise(e.g. slivers). It is to be understood that where in this specificationand the claiming clauses thereof the terms lap and lap material areused, the terms include, wherever the context so admits, all suchmaterials. For example, we have described in the complete specificationof our co-pending application No. 819,266, now US. Patent No. 3,013,313,a process involving a series of operations performed continuously. oncotton fibres, as they pass through carding lap-forming, drawing andother stages. At one stage in the process the web material which isformed is wound into laps of conventional form on a supporting spindleor lap shell, from which laps it is required to be fed to a number ofdraw frames. Arrangements are made whereby a reserve of such laps isavailable at each frame and the main object of the present invention isto provide suitable means for feeding the material of sucessive laps toa draw frame in such a process.

, According to the present invention a creeling device comprises meansfor supporting a first lap, for unwinding same, and for feeding thematerial thereof, as it is unwound, for further processing, means forsupporting a second lap, and for locating and suitably disposing theouter end of the material thereof, all during unwinding of said firstlap, and means, whereby, as or after the unwinding of said first lapcomes to an end, is begun the unwinding of the second lap and thefeeding of the material thereof, as it is unwound, for furtherprocessing, in like manner as the material of said first lap. In mostcases the device will comprise means, operative as the unwinding of saidfirst lap comes to an end, for automatically commencing the unwinding ofthe second lap and for feeding the material thereof, as it is unwound,for further processing, in like manner as the material of said firstlap. Preferably said means are adapted to operate repeatedly in likemanner on a succession of further laps whereby to maintain a continuousfeed of lap material for further processing. The creeling device mayinclude at least one means for supporting and unwinding a lap andconsisting of a guide and roller system, and means associated therewith,adapted to detect when the final stage of unwinding has been reached andthen operative to cause unwinding of a further lap to commence.Alternatively, it may include two means for supporting and unwinding alap each consisting of a guide and roller system and each being adapted,successively and repeatedly, firstly, to accept a full lap and suitablyto locate the end of the material thereof relative to means for feedinglap material forward for further processing, and secondly, continuouslyto unwind said lap so that the material passes to said feeding means,one system performing one function whilst the other is performing theother function.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only,with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,

anew

Patent-zed Sept. 15., 1364 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of themechanical parts of a creeling apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the far side of the creeling apparatusillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic end elevation corresponding to FIG. 2 wherebythe mechanical operation of the creeling device is shown more clearly;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the electrical circuitry of the creeling deviceillustrated in the previous figures, and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of an alternative creelingdevice according to the invention.

The creeling device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the accompanyingdrawings is intended to supply material to a draw frame in the processdescribed in our above mentioned US. Patent No. 3,013,313 and itincludes a system of rollers supported in a frame F. The rollerarrangement is symmetrical, as shown, providing two paths for lapmaterial to a common feeding arrangement.

The common feeding arrangement consists of a pair of feed rollers 11, 12which, when the device is in operation, are continuously driven. Thedrive is derived from an electric motor M through a gear box G by meansof suitable chains, chain-wheels and gear wheels, as illustrated. Therollers 11, 12. also serve to drive an endless apron A for carrying awaythe lap material as will be described hereinafter. Above the roller 11are three further rollers 13, 14, 14a and lap-guides 15, and above theroller 12 are likewise three further rollers 16, 17, 17a and lap guides18. Each of the roller assemblies 13, 14,

14a and 16, 17, 17a has associated therewith a mechanical drive from thegear box G, as illustrated, and a suction device under the control ofelectric circuitry adapted to control the drive in the manner shortly tobe described. The mechanical drives include therein brake and clutchassemblies B C and B C respectively. The suction devices each comprise abox 19, 21) located within the respective rollers 13, 16 which can becontinuously exhausted by a suitable extraction systemincludingextractor fans FN and FN Each device is effective over that part of theperiphery of its roller which lies adjacent the nip between a lapsupported by the appropr'iate guide and the roller itself. The roller,as will be appreciated, is hollow, and is perforated to facilitate thesuction effect.

The rollers 14, 14a, 17, 17a rest on insulated metal supports S bywhich'they are brought into the electrical circuitry, and rollers 13, 16are grounded or earthed.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 only those components of the electrical circuitrywhich are necessary for an understanding of the mechanical functioningof the creeling device have been shown.

Referring now to FIG. 4 the electrical circuitry will be fullydescribed, the components being connected between a supply line andearth, successively in parallel, as follows:

(i) Relay A/3 in series with parallel routes through rollers 13, 14a and13, 14 respectively.

(ii) Relay B/3 in series with parallel routes between rollers 16, 17aand 16, 17 respectively.

(iii) RelayC/1 in series with contactor P (iv) Relay D/ 1, forming alatch relay system with relay (1/ 1, in series with contactor A (v)Clutch C of roller 13 and relay E/1 connected in parallel in series withtwo parallel contactors C A (vi) Clutch C of roller 16 and relay F/lconnected in parallel, in series with two parallel contactors D B (vii)Brake B or roller 13 is series with contactor E (viii)) Brake B ofroller 16 in series with contactor F (ix) Fan FN of roller 13 in serieswith contactor A3. (X) Pan FN 16 of roller 16 in series with ccntactorB3.

Relays A/3 and 13/3 each control three contactors,

A A A and B B B respectively and these are open when the appropriaterelay is unenergized. Relay E/1 and F/l control single contractors E andF each of which is closed when its relay is unenergized. The latchrelays /1 and D/l each control a single contactor C D respectively whichis open when the appropriate relay is unenergized, and also have theproperty that when that relay is de-encrgized the contactor remainsclosed until the other relay is energized.

The operation of the device will now be described, assuming the'startingposition to be that in FIG. 3, namely a lap is supported by guides withthe lap material therefrom being carried by roller 13 between itself androllers 14, 14a, to the feed rollers 11, 12 and hence to apron A wherebyit is conveyed away for further processing; and a lap is supported byguides 18 with the end of the lap material stationary over the roller 16up to the nip between rollers 16, 17. In this position the last eventthat took place was the passage of the end of the lap material betweenrollers 16, 17 thus disconnecting the electrical supply from relay B/3.As a consequence, contactor B opened, this having no eifect owing to thelatching of relays C/l and 13/1. Thus contactor C remained closed andclutch C in operation, so that roller 13 continued to run. As a furtherconsequence contactor B opened, this causing clutch C to be disengaged,relay F/l to be de-energised, and therefore contactor F to be closed andbrake B to be applied. Finally, the de-energising of relay B/ 3 causedcontactor B to open and thus fan FN to shut down.

In the situation just described therefore the righthand side of thecreeling device illustrated in FIG. 3 is stationary with the end of thelap material of lap 22 held ready at the nip between rollers 16, 17,while the left hand side is running, the lap material of lap 21 beingprogressed for further processing. Both fans are inoperative.

When the lap 21 begins to run out, the first thing that occurs is thatthe end of the lap material passes from the nip between rollers 13, 14a,and this allows the rollers to contact and complete the electricalcircuit through relay A/3. As a result contactor A closes, energisingrelay D/It, which in turn causes contactor C to open, and contactor D toclose, the latter event causing clutch C to engage to start roller 16,and also the energising of relay F/l and thus opening of contactor F andrelease of brake B As a further result A closes thus cancelling theeifect of the opening of C so that clutch C and brake B remain engagedand released respectively. Finally, contactor A closes which starts fanFN g.

The situation now is that the left hand side of th device continues torun completely to finish the lap 21, but the fan on this side of themachine has come into operation ready for setting up the end of the nextlap; and feeding of lap material from lap 22 for further processing atthe right hand side of the device has commenced.

The next thing that occurs is that the end of the lap material of lap 21passes from the nip between rollers 13, 14 thus allowing them to comeinto contact. Since, how ever, there is already contact between rollers13, 14a no changes in the operation of the device occur as a result.

A new, full lap or bobbin is now supplied to the guides 15 to replacelap 21. Such replacement may be carried out manually, or by someautomatic means, but the actual manner or means by which this isachieved is not material to the present description nor, in fact, doesit form any part of the present invention.

When the new, full lap contacts roller 13 it is rotated and since fan FNis in operation the suction box 19 finds the end of the lap material,which is then carried between rollers 13 and 14a, thus breaking thecontact therebetween. However, since rollers 13, 14- are in contact,this causes no change in operation of the device. Shortly afterwards,however, the end of the new lap material passes between rollers 13, 14thus breaking the contact therebetween. As a consequence, relay A/3 isdeenergized. Contactor A opens but relay D/1 remains operative becauseof the latching arrangement and, therefore, contactor D remains closed.Thus clutch C remains engaged to keep roller 16 running and thecontinued energization of relay F/l ensures that contactor F stays openand brake B released. As a further consequence contactor A is opened,this causing clutch C to be disengaged, and brake B to be applied due tothe tie-energizing of relay E/1 and consequent closure of contactor EFinally contactor A opens and fan FN shuts down.

The situation is then that the right hand side of the device'continuesto run to finish the lap 22, whilst the left hand side of the device isstationary with the new end of lap material held ready at the nipbetween rollers 13, 14.

When lap 22 runs out a similar sequence occurs provided a new lapreaches guides 18, and so on.

The spacing of the nips between rollers 13, 14 and 13, 14a and of thenips between rollers 16, 17 and 16, 17a, which spacings can be adjustedby varying the position of supports S, enables the relationship betweenthe end of one lap and the beginning of the next lap to adjust asdesired. Thus, it may be that a short over-lap is desired, or that thetwo laps may just abut.

When starting the machine with the guides 15, 18 carryingno laps, themachine is switched on and both sides of the device begin to run withboth fans in action. If a lap is supplied to one side the material iscarried right through tothe apron A for further processing, but the fanat that side of the device will be switched off. On placing another lapon the other side of the machine whilst feeding of the material of thefirst lap is proceeding the end is found in the manner hereinbeforedescribed and the situation is as described and illustrated in FIGS. 3and 4. Thus sequential operation can begin.

Reference will now be made to FIG. 5 in which is illustrated, indiagrammatic fashion, a different kind of creeling device according tothe invention.

In the embodiment of the invention just described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 4 there are two lap stations at which, alternately, a lap issupported prior to and whilst it is being unwound, one station servingone function whilst the other station serves the other function. In the,arrangement now to be described with reference to FIG. 5 there areagain, in general, two stations, but each serves only one function, thusnecessitating only one magazine of laps.

An endless conveyor belt 31 is provided to convey the lap material onfor further processing, the belt passing around, and being driven by,terminal rollers 32, 33. A further driven roller 34 is spaced from theroller 32, and at one period of lap unwinding these two rollers 32, 34act in conjunction to support and unwind a lap, as will later bedescribed.

Above the terminal roller 32 is a magazine 35 for laps with associatedgate 36 and drive roller 37. Between the level of the lower end of themagazine 35 and that of the upper run of conveyor belt 31 is disposed ablower 38 and a photocell 39 and lamp 40 so arranged to control theoperation of the blower 38. The lower end of the magazine is followed byguide rails 41 at each side thereof which curve downwardly towardsroller 34 in a manner and for a purpose later to be described.

Beneath the gap between rollers 32, 34 is a detector 42 operablyassociated with the gate 36. i

In operation, the magazine 35 is loaded with a full lap L and in thedevice illustrated in FIG. 5 an almost exhausted lap L is supportedbetween rollers 32, 34 and is being unwound thereby, the lap material Lbeing progressed by the conveyor belt 31 for further processing; Inreaching the position referred to the lap L has passed from the regionof the beam of lamp 40 thus allowing the beam to strike the photocell39. By appropriate circuitry this causes the blower 38 and the roller 37to come into action with the result that the lap L is rotated until theloose end of the lap material has been found by the air stream from theblower 38. This loose end thereupon hangs down in the manner illustratedto interrupt the light beam again whereupon the blower 38 and roller 37cease to act, the lap L becoming stationary in the position as shown.

When the lap L is exhausted its shell falls between rollers 32, 34 ontodetector 42 which is operably associated with the gate 36 in such amanner, either electrically or mechanically, that the gate 36 is causedto open momentarily to release lap L There will be a slight delaybetween the shell of lap L striking the detector 42 and the operation ofthe gate 36, the timing being such that the necessary overlap, orabutment, of the beginning of the new lap with the end of the old lap isensured as the lap L falls onto roller 32 and begins to be driven forunwinding thereby.

During the early stages of unwinding of the new lap L its shell ends aresupported against the guide rails 41. As unwinding proceeds the new lapgradually moves to the position in which L is shown in FIG. 5. In thesame manner as previously described in relation to lap L the lap Leventually allows the beam from lamp 40 to fall on photocell 39.

The sequence described proceeds so long as a supply of laps is providedfor the magazine, and, as in the previous embodiment such a supply maybe provided manually or by a suitable automatic arrangement.

In a modification of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the detector42 may be omitted and a manually operated means for opening and closinggate 36 substituted therefor. With such an arrangement it is possible toarrange for the lap material of successive laps to be fed forward at anydesired intervals.

We claim:

1. A creeling device for textile laps, comprising a continuously drivenpair of horizontal feed rollers adapted to engage lap material betweenthem and progress it for further processing; a guide and roller systemat either side of and above the nip between said feed rollers, each saidsystem comprising a set of cooperating rollers and means for drivingthem intermittently to advance lap material to said feed rollers; andelectrical control means responsive to the presence or absence of lapmaterial between said cooperating rollers for so controlling the drivingof said two sets of cooperating rollers that the leading end of the lapmaterial advanced by one set is brought to a stop short of the feedrollers while the advancement of the lap material by the other setcontinues, said control means including means triggered by the passageof the trailing end of lap material through either of said sets forautomatically recommencing the drive of the other set.

2. A creeling device as claimed in claim 1 including a suctionarrangement within one of the rollers of each of said sets ofcooperating rollers, said one roller being so arranged that it iscontacted by successive full laps supplied to its respective guidewhereby the end of each successive full lap is drawn off by said oneroller as the latter rotates. I

3. A creeling device as claimed in claim 2 in which each rollercontaining the suction arrangement consists of a hollow roller with aperforated periphery within which is located a suction box, the otherrollers of said set comprising a first co-operating roller and a secondco-operating roller, said rollers forming part of the electrical controlmeans, the respective co-operating rollers and the hollow rollers beingelectrically disconnected or connected, according to whether there islap material therebetween or not. w

4. A creeling device as claimed in claim 3 in which said electricalcontrol means further comprises an electrical prime mover for said feedrollers and said hollow rollers, electrically driven fans for saidsuction boxes, electrically actuated brake and clutch mechanisms forsaid hollow rollers, and circuitry comprising said hollow roller andsaid co-operating rollers and also relays and contactors so influencedby the passage of lap material through said systems as to causeappropriate operation of said brake and clutch mechanisms and said fans.

5. A creeling device as claimed in claim 4 in which said electricalcontrol means is responsive to passage of a new end of lap materialbetween said first co-operating roller and said hollow roller and thenbetween said second co-operating roller and said hollow roller forcausing rotation of said hollow roller to cease and the fan of itssuction box to be shut off, and in which said electrical control meansis responsive to passage of an end of lap material, as a lap isexhausted, from between said first co-operating roller and said hollowroller for causing the fan of the hollow roller to be brought intooperation, and in which said electrical control means is responsive tosubsequent passage of said end of lap material, as a lap is exhausted,from between said second co-operating roller and said hollow roller forcausing rotation of the hollow roller of the other system to commence.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,144,161 Turner June 22, 1915 1,828,898 Ball et a1. Oct. 27, 19311,829,719 Horton Oct. 27, 1931 2,246,456' Quigley June 17, 19412,343,899 Groll et al. Mar. 14, 1944 2,559,074 Hinson July 3, 19512,843,688 Masem July 15, 1958 3,007,650 Burton Nov. 7, 1961

1. A CREELING DEVICE FOR TEXTILE LAPS, COMPRISING A CONTINUOUSLY DRIVENPAIR OF HORIZONTAL FEED ROLLERS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE LAP MATERIAL BETWEENTHEM AND PROGRESS IT FOR FURTHER PROCESSING; A GUIDE AND ROLLER SYSTEMAT EITHER SIDE OF AND ABOVE THE NIP BETWEEN SAID FEED ROLLERS, EACH SAIDSYSTEM COMPRISING A SET COOPERATING ROLLERS AND MEANS FOR DRIVING THEMINTERMITTENTLY TO ADVANCE LAP MATERIAL TO SAID FEED ROLLERS; ANDELECTRICAL CONTROL MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF LAPMATERIAL BETWEEN SAID COOPERATING ROLLERS FOR SO CONTROLLING THE